French container shipping company CMA CGM Group has taken delivery of its 400th owned vessel, marking a significant milestone in the French shipping giant’s fleet expansion and decarbonization strategy.

The CMA CGM MONTE CRISTO, a 16,204 TEU methanol-powered containership measuring 366 meters in length, christened on Wednesday in Tianjin, China, represents the first in a series of six 15,000-TEU methanol vessels joining the carrier’s fleet. The ship will sail under the Maltese flag with a crew of 23 seafarers under the command of Captain Predrag Vojvodic.

The vessel’s arrival brings CMA CGM’s owned fleet to 400 ships within a total operated fleet of more than 650 vessels worldwide. According to industry analyst Alphaliner, CMA CGM now ranks as the third-largest container shipping operator globally, commanding a 12.4% market share with a fleet totaling 4.15 million TEUs and more than 700 ships total.

“This key milestone reflects the Group’s long-term investment strategy, built on asset ownership and the integration of advanced technologies to enhance the environmental and operational performance of its fleet,” the company stated.

The MONTE CRISTO becomes CMA CGM’s 11th methanol-powered containership, with 24 such vessels currently on order. The carrier has committed to achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050 and plans to operate approximately 200 dual-fuel LNG and methanol container ships capable of running on low-carbon energy by 2031.

Built at DSIC Tianjin Shipyard, the vessel featured Liu Liping, Deputy General Manager of EPPEN BIOTECH, as godmother during its naming ceremony. The ship is scheduled to enter commercial service on January 29 in Ningbo, operating on the BEX2 – Phoenician Express service connecting North Asia with the Levant and the Adriatic Sea.

The containership features approximately 1,000 refrigerated container plugs and meets high standards for safety, comfort, and crew accommodation. Its 51-meter beam and advanced specifications position it among the larger vessels in the carrier’s expanding methanol-capable fleet.

CMA CGM’s substantial orderbook consists of 147 vessels representing 1.8 million TEU.